Concentration of ore.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. k

EDWARD HOIT NUTTEB, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T MINERALS SEPARATION AMERICAN SYNDICATE (1913) LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CONCENTRATION OF ORE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HOIT TER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Concentration of Qres, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to ore concentration and relates more particularly to the processes of the type generally known as the froth flotation processes.

The invention is in some respects a development from that covered in the United States Patent No. 962,678.

It has been found that there are a number of hydrocarbons, particularly unsaturated hydrocarbons, which when treated with sulfuric acid form compounds very suitable for use as frothing agents in the froth flotation processes of ore concentration and with some ores these agents have advantages in forming a cleaner concentrate or a'inore stable froth. These products are obtained in the treatment and refining of hydrocarbons, such as petroleum, kerosene, gas-tar and the like, and particularly in the refining of their distillates. A typical example of such products is known as acid sludge, and it has been found, for example, that acid sludge produced by the sulfuric acid treatment of kerosene obtained from California petroleum is highly advantageous as a frothing agent.

In the employment of the agitation froth process as described for example in the United States Patents Nos. 835,120 and 962,678, difliculties are frequently encountered when the ore pulp contains very fine angue slimes or colloidal gangue slimes. This is frequently the case for example with 'copper ores and the-use of the compounds produced by the action of sulfuric acid on hydrocarbons of the type descr bed has provedv especially advantageous in such cases. Excellent results have been obtained for example by using these frothing agents a in the sub-aeration process of ore concentration as described for example in the United States Patents Nos. 1,155,836 and 1,155,815.

The following is an example of the operation of this rocess. The material operated was the taihngs from water concentration tables in the treatment of copper ore from Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 31, 1915. Serial No. 48,169.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

the Anaconda mines, Montana, and these tailingsassayed 2.26% of the copper. .To a pulp containing this material in the proportion of 24.0% of solids, was added 2.3 lbs. acid sludge per ton of material treated, 2.3 lbs. wood creosote per ton of material treated, .21 lbs. stove oil per ton of material treated, 12.7 lbs. sulfuric acid per ton of ore. The pulp heated to 97 Fahrenheit was treated in a standard mineral separation fiotation machine wherein it was agitated to form a froth and the froth was separated. The concentrates assayed 10.1% copper and the tailings assayed .2% copper. It is further found that these substances producedby the action of sulfuric acid on hydrocarbons are, in many cases, more effective as frothing agents when they have been standing for some time, or when they have been mixed with water for some time, and this invention includes the use of such compounds in these conditions.

This invention may be used in conjunction with any of the known or patented processes of ore concentration by froth flotation, either for the separation of the metalliferous constituents of an ore from the gangue, or forthe separation of different metalliferous constituents from one another.

I claim:

1. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating a hydrocarbon (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

2. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantityof a productobtained by treating a mixture of hydrocarbons (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

3. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore 4. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantity of a product obtained y treating a mixture of iydrocarbons (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid, and a small quantity of acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating\the froth.

5. 1 process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantit of a product obtained y treating a hy wearon (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid and allowing it to stand for some time, agitatin and aerating the mixture to form a frot 1, and separatin the froth.

8. process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantity of a product obtained y treatin a mixture of ydrocarbons (composed exc usively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid and allowin it to stand for some time, agitating an aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

7. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantit of a product obtained y treating a hy rotoron (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid and allowing it to stand for some time, and also a small quantity of acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

8. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantity of a product obtained y treatin a mixture of ydrocarbons (composed exc usively of hydrogen and carbon with sulfuric acid and allowing it to stan for some time, and also a small (Luantity of acid, agitating and aerating t e mixture to form a frot and separating the froth.

9. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating an unsaturated hydrocarbon (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

10. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating a mixture of unsaturated hydrocarbons (com oscd ex clusively of hydrogen and carbon with sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

11. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating an unsaturated hydrocarbon (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid, and a small quantity of acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

12. A rocess of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantity of a product obtained y treating a mixture of unsaturated hydrocarbons (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid, and a small quantity of acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

13. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating an unsaturated iydrocarbon (com osed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon with sulfuric acid and allowin it to stand for some time, agitating an aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

14. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addim a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating a mixture of unsaturated hydrocarbons (composed exclusively of h drogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid an allowing it to stand for some time, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and-separating the froth.

15. A rocess of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of a product obtained by treating an unsaturated hydrocarbon (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid and al owing it to stand for some time, and a small uantity of acid, agitatin aerating t e mixture to form a frotii, separating the froth.

'16. A rocess of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, addin a minute quantity of a product obtained y treating a mixture of unsaturated hydrocarbons (composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon) with sulfuric acid and allowing it to stand for some time, and a small quantity of acid, agitating and aeratin the mixture to form a froth, and se arating the froth.

17. rocess of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of acid sludge obtained by treating petroleum distillate with sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

18 A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of and and acid sludge obtained by treating petroleum distillate with sulfuric acid, and a small quantity of sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

19. A process of concentrating ores which consists in mixing the finely crushed ore with water, adding a minute quantity of acid sludge obtained by treating petroleum 10 distillate with sulfuric acid and allowing it to stand for some time, and a small quantity of sulfuric acid, agitating and aerating the mixture to form a froth, and separating the froth.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 15 signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDWARD HOIT NUTTER. Witnesses: JED SILVEY, CHESTER B. ALLEN. 

